What Do You Know About Heart Disease Risk?

Knowing what causes heart disease and how you can prevent it can help you live a longer, healthier life. Take this quiz to find out more about lowering your risk for heart disease.

1. There's nothing you can do to prevent heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Healthy adults can reduce their risk for heart disease and a heart attack by staying at a healthy weight (a body mass index of less than 25), getting enough exercise (40 minutes on average 3 to 4 times a week), having regular medical checkups, taking prescribed medicines, and choosing healthy habits (not smoking, no excessive alcohol, controlling stress). Meet with your doctor at least once a year, or more often if you have health concerns. This is to make sure you are on top of your health and heart disease prevention.

A. TrueB. False

2. Smokers are more likely to have heart disease than nonsmokers.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Smokers who smoke 1 pack per day are more than twice as likely as nonsmokers to have a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Smoking is one of the strongest preventable risk factors for heart disease. Talk with your doctor today about how to quit.

A. TrueB. False

3. Some risk factors for heart disease can't be changed.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

They include gender (men have a higher risk of early heart attack), age (your risk of heart attack increases as you get older), and family (you have an increased risk if your father or mother had heart disease). These are out of your control, but making changes to your lifestyle is a big part of preventing heart disease.

A. TrueB. False

4. You have to exercise at least 1 hour a day to reduce your risk for heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Just 40 minutes on average of moderate- to high-intensity physical activity 3 to 4 times a week can help you reduce your risk. Good choices are walking, cycling, and swimming. You can also choose activities you enjoy such as dancing and aerobics.

A. TrueB. False

5. Drinking 3 to 4 alcoholic drinks each day can reduce your risk for heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

A glass or 2 of alcohol daily may decrease your risk for heart disease, but the risk grows if you have more. Men should not have more than 2 drinks a day. Women should limit themselves to 1 drink a day. If you do not already drink, you should not start drinking in order to lower your risk of heart disease. Other lifestyle changes can help with that.

A. TrueB. False

6. High blood pressure can put your heart at risk.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Your heart must work harder than normal when your blood pressure is high. When this occurs over a long time, the heart can enlarge and arteries can become scarred and hardened. This can lead to increased risk for heart disease and even a heart attack.

A. TrueB. False

7. An average of 100,000 Americans die from heart disease every year.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

The correct number is more than 500,000, according to the AHA.

A. TrueB. False

8. Someone who has had a heart attack is at increased risk of having another.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Men and women who survive a first heart attack are at increased risk of having another heart attack in the next 6 years.

A. TrueB. False

9. You can't exercise if you have heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Moderate exercise approved by your doctor plays an important role in controlling the disease. Talk with your doctor about an exercise plan that is right for you. You may need to be in a cardiac rehabilitation program if you have already had a heart attack.

A. TrueB. False

10. Being overweight increases your risk for heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Your risk increases if you're overweight. This is because being overweight increases your risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. These conditions also increase the risk for heart disease.

A. TrueB. False

11. Young women have the same risk for heart disease as young men.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Estrogen provides younger women some protection against heart disease, but that protection is lost after menopause, when women have roughly the same risk as men.

A. TrueB. False

12. Emotions don't affect your risk for heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

Research shows a link between heart disease and high levels of stress and hostility. Stress increases hormone levels. These put higher demands on the heart.

A. TrueB. False

13. Your diet doesn't affect your risk for heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

The food you eat has a direct impact on 3 major risk factors for heart disease: weight, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol. It's important to understand the relationship that these all have to prevent heart disease. Talk with your doctor if you have questions.

A. TrueB. False

14. No tests can diagnose coronary heart disease.

You didn't answer this question.

You answered

The correct answer is

A treadmill test (or exercise stress test) can help diagnose atherosclerosis, or the narrowing of the heart's arteries. Other tests include a radionucleotide myocardial perfusion stress test. This can also help diagnose a narrowing of the arteries in your heart. But the gold standard test is a coronary angiogram. This test lets your doctor see any blockages in your heart's arteries.